According to the Belfast Telegraph, filming for the new show will take place at Paint Hall studios in Belfast, where the original Game of Thrones series was shot.

“This is fantastic news for everyone at the studio — from the cast and the crew, right down to the riggers and the catering staff,” a Paint Hall source told the newspaper.

Thrones author George R.R. Martin wrote about HBO moving forward with a pilot order in a June 11 blog post.

“To clarify, what we have here is a pilot order, not as yet a series order,” he wrote at the time about the project, which is being helmed by showrunner Jane Goldman. “Though of course we are all hoping that will follow.”

Unfortunately, Game of Thrones fans will still have to say goodbye to their favourite characters. Martin said no one from the original cast will appear in the new show, which will predate their world by thousands of years.

“The series chronicles the world’s descent from the golden age of heroes into its darkest hour,” HBO told The New York Times in a statement.

“And only one thing is for sure: From the horrifying secrets of Westeros’ history to the true origin of the White Walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend … it’s not the story we think we know.”

Where’d this guy come from? Picture: HBOSource:Supplied

News of the prequel comes ahead of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones, which is due to be broadcast in 2019.